Day 1
Check in
Try to arrive in the early afternoon so you have enough time to visit Lucca’s old town and end the day with an aperitif in Piazza dell’Anfiteatro and dinner in one of the
many excellent restaurants in the city.
Day 2
Lucca to Pisa Loop - 58km
The first tour will bring you to Pisa, under the leaning tower. Leaving Lucca walls behind us to reach the river, we will start biking on Puccini's bike way, in the park along the water to reach Ripafratta and then San Giuliano Terme, and its ancient thermal baths, cycling all around Monti Pisani which separate Lucca from Pisa...following an ancient aqueduct and through country roads we will finally reach Pisa historical center in 32km. Time to visit the town and taking photos holding the leaning tower....then, who is tired could choose to take the local train with bikes and be back in Lucca in 25 minutes, but we suggest to come back by bike and have a chance to meet old monasteries, villas and fortifications along the road back, and charming villages like Nozzano Castello, an ancient hamlet maintaining its original aspect, before meeting again our loved walls of Lucca.
Day 3
Lucca to Montecatini Terme - 48km
Start off again from the cycle path, along the Serchio River, until you reach Ponte a Moriano, then turn off onto Via Delle Ville, where you will find a succession of buildings in various styles and from various eras. Continue to Villa Reale, where we highly recommend stopping to take in the view of the splendid garden populated by centuries-old orchids. Get back on the saddle and after a quite demanding climb of 200m to road flattens out and you can enjoy a high-altitude pedal with spectacular panoramic views over villages and vineyards until you reach Collodi, the hometown of the most famous puppet in the world: Pinocchio. Don't miss the photo opportunity with the large wooden statue! From here, there are just 12 km of flat road to reach Montecatini Terme.
Day 4
Vinci Loop - 54km
You are close to Vinci, so a tour of the birthplace of Leonardo is not to be missed, especially since the first bicycle projects are attributed to him. Here, cross through Padule di Fucecchio, a semi-swamp area with a rich fauna of special migratory birds, to reach Vinci where we recommend visiting the Leonardo da Vinci Museum, before beginning the journey back to Montecatini Terme, famous for being full of vim and vigor and for its thermal baths, spas and wellness centers, perfect for eliminating the toxins accumulated over the previous days and preparing for the days to come.
Day 5
San Miniato - Vinci - Artimino - 47km
The fourth stage will bring you to San Miniato, biking along the Padule di Fececchio, a marshy area with a special fauna, rich in migratory birds, and on the plain around Arno River along the Via Francigena. Besides the historical and art interest, San Miniato is also famous because it hosts an annual festival, devoted to the precious white truffle, which is harvested in the area around the village, so the local cuisine is strongly influenced by this particular ingredient.
Day 6
San Miniato Loop - 52km
The first stop in the next stage, a loop that starts and finishes in San Miniato, follows the Via Francigena to Gambassi Terme, one of the most spectacular parts of the entire route. From here you go back via Castelfiorentino, nicknamed “the little Florence”.
Continue cycling until you reach the beautiful Val d’Elsa before returning to the hotel. In addition to art and history, San Miniato is famous for its fine white truffles; we highly recommend you try a “truffle experience”;
Day 7
San Miniato - Firenze / 54km - +300m
The last stage will take you on a fantastic journey through the rural countryside surrounding Florence. Following the banks of the Arno, you will arrive at Montelupo Fiorentino, where a steep climb will lead you to Artimino and Poggio Alla Malva. At the latter, you can enjoy the view overlooking the Arno and Pesa Valley, stretching out to the Chianti Region, sitting among vineyards, olive groves, and the remains of historic buildings. The Medici Family - who ruled Florence for centuries - used to come to this area to go hunting. Artimino is a perfect location for tasting traditional Tuscan cuisine. You will then head back down the valley and towards Florence, following the river right into the heart of the city. Once you have arrived at your destination, you can stow away your bike and lose yourself among the countless courtyards, squares, palaces, museums, churches, markets, shops, and boutiques, pretending, just this one, to be a "normal" tourist.
Day 8
Departure day
After enjoying Florence again in the morning, you can easily go back to Pisa in an hour by train or leave directly from Florence (leaving the bikes at the hotel) unless you prefer to extend your holiday relaxing some more days in the countryside or in one of the main towns of the tour. Transfers to the railway station or the airports of Pisa & Florence can be made (on request).
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